


Share the Night

by Scullystar



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-10
Updated: 2014-06-10
Packaged: 2018-02-04 04:13:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1765040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scullystar/pseuds/Scullystar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The term "Imzadi" will always be special to Troi and Riker, but it's been years since they shared the kind of connection they had when they first met on Betazed. That is, until Deanna unconsciously starts reaching out to Will in her dreams.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Share the Night

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to explore what might have happened if Troi and Riker had gotten together before Insurrection because I think it took much too long to resolve their relationship.

Share the Night  
*************

*Imzadi…*

Will Riker rolled over in his bed.

*Imzadi…*

The commander woke with a start. He looked around his dimly lit room. 

“Deanna?” 

Riker’s head felt heavy and his dreams were slipping away from him. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. He had heard Deanna Troi’s voice in his head, sweet and clear as day, but there was no way the ship’s counselor had been in his room before he had woken.

The sound of her voice had been...arousing. He took in a deep breath and tried to shake the feeling. 

He couldn't remember the last time she had communicated with him that way. It had been…years? Not since the first day aboard the Enterprise when Captain Picard had introduced them, unaware of their past.

“Computer, what is the current location of Counselor Troi?”

“Counselor Troi is in her quarters,” the pleasant computer voice answered from above his head.

Riker sighed and got back under his blankets. Troi couldn't have been calling to him. He must have been having a dream. He doubted their bond was strong enough after all this time and...she wouldn't have reached out so intimately to him.

Will closed his eyes and slipped back into his dreams.

*Imzadi…*

*********

Deanna Troi was distracted. She got ready slowly and picked out her clothes without really looking. As she did her hair and makeup, the dark-eyed, dark-haired woman frowned at the circles under her eyes. She hadn't slept well or enough. Her dreams had her tossing and woke her, sweaty and out of breath, but Troi wasn't suffering from nightmares.

If she closed her eyes, Deanna could still feel Will Riker’s hands on her skin, his breath against her ear as he whispered to her all the things he knew she wanted to hear. 

She brushed her fingers across her lips remembering his kiss and the soft scratch of his beard. The dream had been so real and she remembered every sweet sensation as if he had actually been in her room making love to her the night before.

In her dreams Deanna had called out to him, reached out with her mind to touch his. Troi prayed she hadn't actually gotten through to him. It hadn't been intentional. 

It had been so, so long since she had connected with Will like that and even longer still since he had been able to connect back. Not since he had been stationed on her home planet of Betazed where they had first met. Not since she had taught him to reach out with his mind to her, to let himself connect deeper than he ever had with anyone else before. Not since they had fallen in love.

Now they were just friends. They had been working together on the Enterprise for years, never daring to let themselves feel about each other the way they had felt so long ago. How long it had been since they had spoken the word Imzadi to each other and meant it the way they used to? 

Deanna looked at herself in the mirror, satisfied with her appearance, and headed out of her quarters to her office. She would be starting her day with an appointment with Lieutenant D’Nahl, the first of many things she needed to take care of before she would have another minute for her own thoughts. She would have more than enough distractions that day to shake off the empty feeling she had woken with and to get rid of the knot in her stomach that had formed when she realized how disappointed she had been when she had woken alone and reality had set in. 

Troi entered her office, requested a hot herbal tea from the replicator, and sat down at her computer. There was just enough time to finish up a report before Lieutenant D’Nahl showed up for her appointment at 0900 hours. 

She looked over her schedule for the rest of the day, double checking to make sure that she didn't have bridge duty. No chance of seeing Will that day unless she went out of her way to do so. Deanna sighed and furrowed her brow.

She honestly wasn't sure if she was more disappointed or relieved about that.

***************** 

Troi leaned back in her office chair and rubbed her eyes. The day had been full and had gone by quickly but had left her mentally tired. Her last appointment had just finished up and the counselor was thankful for the freedom she had to spend the rest of the evening however she wanted. 

Deanna got up, stretched, and took in a deep breath. Heading out into the corridor she took the first turbolift to sickbay. Left with only her thoughts, Troi was already dwelling on the dreams that had kept her from sleeping soundly the night before. She might have been the ship's counselor, but for her own sanity Deanna had come to rely on the kind and always straightforward advice of Beverly Crusher. 

"Deck Twelve," she spoke to the computer and let out a breath as the lift took her upward.

The doors hissed open and she was happy to see Beverly heading toward her. 

"Deanna, hello. Were you coming to see me?"

Troi nodded and smiled at the lovely red-headed doctor. "Yes, as a matter of fact I was."

"Are you feeling ill?"

"No, nothing like that. I actually wanted to talk if you were free."

"My shift is over and I was just going to head to my quarters. Ten Forward?"

Deanna nodded again. "That sounds good."

The two women got back into the turbolift.

"Ten Forward," Crusher said.

"So, the counselor needs some counseling?" Beverly said turning to her friend as the lift brought them downward.

"Kind of. I've been having some strange dreams."

"Strange?"

"Vivid."

"Oh?" Beverly grinned knowingly. Deanna smiled back and tried to ignore the flush she felt creeping across her face.

They stepped out into the hall on deck 10 and through the doors of Ten Forward. The large room was buzzing with off-duty officers but they secured a table off in a corner and were quickly approached by one of the staff to take their drink orders. 

"OK, Deanna, spill. Tell me all about these vivid dreams."

"I'm actually a little embarrassed, Beverly...Not because I'm having the dreams, but because I've been thinking about them so much and the way they've been affecting me." Troi paused, unsure of how to continue.

The doctor leaned in, moving to the edge of her chair. "You can't keep me in suspense like this," she said, her eyes wide.

Troi took in a deep breath as their drinks were placed down in front of them by the young man on duty in the lounge, and she waited until they were alone again before speaking.

"I've been dreaming about Commander Riker."

Beverly squinted and took a sip of her drink. "That seems pretty harmless," she shrugged.

"Harmless?" Deanna was a little taken aback. 

"Well, the two of you have a past. It's been a while since you were together romantically but you're very close and see each other on an almost daily basis."

"You're not surprised about this at all are you?" Troi smiled and leaned back in her chair, slightly relieved at the ease with which the doctor was able to shrug off her confession.

"I'd be surprised if you didn't have the occasional dirty dream about him, Deanna."

"This wasn't just a dirty dream, Beverly. This was so real. I remember everything with perfect clarity. When I woke up I couldn't decide if I was really awake - I thought Will might actually be next to me. That's how real this felt."

Crusher grinned. "We've all had dreams like that before. I remember once a few years ago I woke up from a dream where I was *swimming* in the hot springs on Haldor 5. When I woke up I swear I could still feel the scalding water on my skin."

Troi was silent for a moment.

"Deanna, if you're this concerned about a dream you know better than I do that there's some underlying issue that goes beyond the embarrassment you feel when you have an inappropriate dream about a crew-mate."

"You think I don't know this already? Deanna looked at her hands which were clasped tightly in her lap. "This shouldn't be bothering me so much."

"Really? Why not? It's obvious that you care about him and that he cares about you. I think your mutual decision to remain friends and not cross that line again was smart to make for your careers but in the long run can you honestly say that you wouldn't consider a relationship with him again?"

Troi regarded her friend's question. "It's been...difficult at times to work alongside him knowing what we once had. We've both had other relationships. I'm happy that he hasn't stopped being himself or held himself back from what would make him happy on my account. I suppose I would be willing to see where things went if he was willing to try to make things work again. Maybe that day will come, maybe it won't, but I can't dwell on what-ifs and maybes and still have a healthy friendship with him. Not to mention our professional relationship. We've both been able to move on. Dreams, no matter how real they seem, are just dreams."

"Have either of you really moved on, Deanna?"

"Of course," Troi said trying to exude a confidence she didn't feel.

Beverly arched an eyebrow upward. "Neither of you have been in an exclusive long-term relationship since I've known you. The only serious relationship either of you have been in was with each other."

"That was years ago."

"Yes. It was. And if there wasn't something still between the two of you wouldn't at least one of you have gotten into a relationship that lasted more than a month or so? Affairs are one thing, being truly in love with someone is very different."

"Beverly..."

" Have you even considered the fact that maybe Will hasn't settled down, or at least been serious about someone since you two decided to remain friends, because he still loves you?"

"We agreed that we couldn't be together that way while we were both assigned to the Enterprise. He agreed."

"Do you think he agreed because that's what he wanted or do you think he agreed because it's what *you* wanted? Tell me that man wouldn't do anything for you, Deanna. Will Riker would have done anything you asked him to, even if it meant not being with you because you thought that's what would make you happy."

Deanna felt her resolve weakening. "I'm not happy right now, Beverly, I'm confused."

"You need to sort this out and talk it through with him."

"What if he doesn't feel the same way?"

"Then you'll know. And maybe then you can really move past all this for good."

Deanna propped her chin up in her hand and smiled at the doctor.

"I hate it when you're right," Troi smiled.

Beverly winked at the counselor and sipped her drink.  
*****************

Riker placed his trombone back onto its stand and sighed in frustration. He was never going to get that Nightbird solo down. Checking the wall display for the time and realizing how late it had gotten, he decided to call it a night and get ready for bed. Will ran a hand over his beard as he thought about the night before and how he had been woken by Deanna Troi's voice in his head.

There was no denying that his feelings for the ship's counselor had been something that he had been trying to sort out for the past several years. They had only been together for such a short time, but that time had been unlike anything he had ever experienced before or ever since. He had wanted to marry her. They were supposed to meet on Risa after he had left his assignment on her home planet of Betazed but he had never come. He had left her there, waiting. Hurting. Riker had put his career before her without even having the courtesy to talk to her about it before he made his decision. 

When they had both been assigned to the Enterprise she had been very clear that they could never be in a relationship again as long as they were serving on the same ship. Of course there had been other relationships for the both of them. He had met some lovely and intriguing woman while serving aboard the Flagship of the Federation. However, his desire to get to known them better soured after mere weeks, days even. Something was just never quite right about it. While they may have been beautiful, intelligent women, they all paled in comparison to the enchanting dark haired, dark eyed counselor. She was...exquisite. In every way possible. No one had ever been able to make him feel the way she had and he doubted very much that it was possible at this point.

He was just pulling the sleep shirt over his head when he both felt and heard Deanna in his mind again.

*Imzadi...*

He shivered at the sensation. This time he felt a surge of emotion and closed his eyes as a wave of pleasure wash over him. Lust, passion, elation, and strongest of all, love. 

"Computer..." he swallowed. "What is the location of Counselor Troi?"

"Counselor Troi is in her quarters," the computer answered. 

Of course she was. It was late and she was probably sleeping, but was she calling to him from a dream, not knowing she was reaching out to him?

It had been so long since he had tried to communicate with her telepathically that he was sure he wouldn't be able to. They had a bond back then, a real connection, and he had yet to experience its equal in all the years since they'd been apart. It was still worth a shot, he decided.

Will closed his eyes and and tried imagining her there with him. He reached out to her like she had taught him back on Betazed. He visualized her face and focused all of his energy there, willing her to hear him. He felt another wave of pleasure wash over him and gasped out loud. 

*Imzadi...I'm here* 

*Imzadi...please...* Her groan of pleasure in his head was too much and he felt his body reacting.

"God," he said out loud to himself. This must be some dream she was having. Was this what she had been dreaming about the night before? Was this why she had been calling out to him? The implications were almost overwhelming. 

He closed his eyes and focused on her again, picturing her in his mind. Her dark, curly hair, the deep onyx eyes he used to get lost in, her beautiful mouth, high cheekbones, lovely white neck, the curve of her breasts. Riker was rewarded with a flash of the two of them together but it wasn't a memory of times past. He knew it was a glimpse into what Deanna was dreaming about. He reached out to her praying she could feel him. Suddenly his mind was flooded with Troi's dreams. They were entwined on the bed in her quarters, naked and sweaty. His mouth was on her breast, her head was tilted back, her eyes closed. She groaned as his hands slid across her hips and down between her legs. She was warm and soft under him. Her hands touched him everywhere she could reach. He slid back up to kiss her mouth and groaned as he felt her hand wrap around his erection. Will growled and shook himself out of the vision he was sharing with Troi.

Was she even aware that this was happening? He felt like he was intruding somehow. He couldn't believe that she was purposely doing this. 

*Will...My Beloved...*

Riker sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands. The vision of the two of them together flooded his mind again but this time he didn't try to fight it.

He leaned back into his pillows and, opening his mind to her completely, made love to Deanna Troi in a dream.

*****************

Troi woke with a start. She sat straight up in bed, her breathing heavy and her dark curls stuck to her forehead with sweat. She had been having that dream again but this time she could hear Will Riker calling to her. She could feel his arousal as intensely as she felt her own. He had called to her like he used to. 

*Imzadi...I'm here* His words had echoed in her mind. She had felt him there with her this time. 

Had she been reaching out to him, connecting like they had done when they had been together? Deanna slid out of bed and stood up, calling to the computer to turn on the lights in her bedroom. She went to splash some water on her face. Troi stared at her reflection and groaned inwardly. It had been so real. She could feel him with her, touching her, tasting her. She shivered and felt herself becoming aroused at the memory of his lips on her skin, dragging across her breast to take her nipple into his mouth. Deanna ran a hand down her face and across her neck.

Beverly had been very persuasive and had managed to convinced her to talk to Will but instead of going to him that same evening, Deanna had decided to spend the rest of her free time in Ten Forward chatting with the doctor and then with Guinan after Crusher had left to retire for the evening. Her apprehension had kept her from gathering up even the sheerest of bravado needed to go to Riker and tell him that she was having second thoughts about her insistence that they keep their relationship strictly platonic. It never really was though. Not really. Chaste kisses goodnight that often led to passionate embraces and shore leave together on Betazed? She wasn't doing that sort of thing with Commander LaForge and she also considered him to be a good friend. No, her relationship with Will Riker was always going to be more than either of them would admit. Because that would mean they would have to face the fact that they had both made foolish mistakes in the past, and even more foolish was trying to convince themselves that their passions had cooled and they had both moved on.

She couldn't keep doing this. She was losing sleep and making herself miserable thinking about how much time they had lost simply because she was trying to be the ever professional, ever rational one.

It was early in the morning now, but she quickly changed out of her sheer nightgown and into her comfortable grey and lavender v-neck jumpsuit, leaving her dark curls loose to fall down her back and across her shoulders. Deanna headed out into the corridor fully intending to tell Will everything the minute she reached his quarters. 

Her breath caught in her throat as she spotted an ever so slightly disheveled Will Riker heading her way in long strides. They met in the hall, toe to toe, and looked at each other for a long moment.

"Counselor." Will spoke softly, taking her hand.

"Commander." She gave his fingers a squeeze and led him back to her quarters without another word.

Once inside, Troi moved to take a seat on her couch. Riker followed and turned his body to face her, their knees touching. Unwilling to break contact for more than a few seconds, he took her hand again and the corners of Troi's mouth turned up at the gesture. He was just as scared and unsure as she was. Their feelings mixed together, swirling around in her mind. She felt his excitement, his trepidation, and it mirrored her own. 

Riker broke the silence. "I heard you, Deanna. In my head - last night and the night before."

"I had a feeling you might have," Troi said, feeling her face redden. 

Riker reached up and cupped his hand against the side of her face. "Not only that...I felt you. Us. I saw your dreams, shared them. I didn't know that was possible."

Troi took a deep breath. Having Will confirm that he knew exactly what she had been dreaming about was slightly embarrassing. 

"It can be in certain cases. If the emotions and bond between two people are strong enough, a connection can be made through dreams."

The commander dropped his hand from her face and leaned in close to her. "Deanna. Please don't tell me that these dreams don't mean anything. I won't accept that."

Deanna swallowed and met his eyes. "It would be a lie if I told you that, Imzadi."

Will Riker smiled broadly and pulled her into his arms, resting his forehead against hers. "We've been foolish, Deanna."

"I can't disagree with you," Troi smiled, "It seems like for all our good intentions, there was always this pull between us. Maybe I made a mistake asking you to keep your distance when we were first assigned to the Enterprise. At the time I thought it was the best decision for the both of us."

"Well, you are prone to overintellectualizing," Will said grinning against her ear. His lips pressed against her neck. She gasped as his beard scratched softly against her skin and pushed her fingers into his hair.

"You've been keeping me awake at night, you know," Riker said as he kissed her skin.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. I enjoyed it. It was...enlightening to say the least."

Will pressed his lips against hers and felt her shiver as his tongue slid into her mouth. They kissed hungrily, leaning back onto the cushions of the couch beneath them. Deanna arched her body against his, bringing a leg up to curl around him. 

"Imzadi..." Will whispered.

*Imzadi* she thought back *No words...*

Riker dug his fingers into the curls at the back of her head, wrapped an arm around her slim waist, and moved them back into a sitting position. He helped her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. Deanna looked up at him, her dark eyes shining. She was enveloped in emotion, overwhelmed by the feelings they were sharing. She took his hands and led him back to her bedroom. 

Will put his arms around her, pressing against her from behind. Troi leaned into his embrace and rested her head against his chest. She felt amazing, he felt amazing, and she could sense his love and desire for her more intensely than she had ever felt it before. She closed her eyes and let his emotions wash over her before turning in his arms to kiss him. 

Deanna slid her hands up under his uniform top, under the fabric of the standard issue undershirt he always wore beneath it, to touch his skin and run her fingers across his chest. She heard his sharp intake of breath and smiled against his mouth as they continued their kiss.

*I love you, Imzadi* he thought to her, knowing she could hear him now.

*I know...*

*I want you, Deanna*

*Will...*

Riker's fingers found the zipper at the back of her jumpsuit and pulled at it until it stopped just below the small of her back. His hands slid up across her exposed skin, unhooked her bra and pulled her top down her arms. She stood there before him, bare-breasted, and smiling almost shyly. He helped her step out of the rest of her clothes and stepped back to look at her. He let out a breath and reached out to her. Riker wanted nothing more than to lay her down and touch and kiss every inch of her.

*Soon, my love* she thought to him, and helped him rid himself of his uniform top, boots, and pants. 

Will put his hand on her waist and pulled her against him. His erection pressed insistently against her belly. He ran his hands across her back, down her arms, and up to cup her full breasts, running his thumbs across her hardening nipples. Troi gasped and pushed closer against him. Will captured her mouth with his again for a deep kiss, maneuvering them toward her bed. Soon, Deanna felt the back of her legs connect with the edge of her mattress and moved onto it, never breaking their kiss. Riker knelt beside her on the bed and pushed his hands into her hair. He loved the way her thick curls felt, silky and luxurious against his skin. His lips found her neck and he moved with her as she lay back on the pillows. Will propped himself up on one arm and continued his exploration of her body with his mouth. He closed his lips around her nipple and worried the other with his free hand.

*Yes, Imzadi...*

Riker felt her arousal intensify, felt her emotions as clearly as he felt his own. It was powerful and exciting, and it made him want her even more. His mouth trailed down across her belly, stopping to feather kisses across her hip bones. His tongue dipped into her navel and he heard her chuckle above him. His hand slipped down between her thighs and spread her legs apart before positioning himself between them. Riker ran his tongue along the inside of each thigh. Deanna moaned and he heard her urge him on in his head. 

*Please, Will*

Will slid his finger along the length of her opening and she squirmed. He spread her open and dipped his tongue into her warmth. 

*Oh, gods...Imzadi*

*You're perfect, Dee. I want you so much*

Will lapped at her, suckling, driving her crazy. He felt her hands in his hair, her legs wrap around him, and her lust run through him as she touched his mind with her own.

His own arousal was growing and he shifted so that his erection was no longer trapped between himself and the bed. Will felt Deanna moving away from him and looked up at her, his hands gripping her hips. He did not want to stop what he was doing.

*My turn, my love* she thought, her eyes darker than usual, filled with lust. He knew what she had in mind and grinned at her as they changed positions. 

Troi moved over him and kissed him, tasting herself on his lips. She moaned into his mouth as his hand found her breast again before she could move down between his legs. Deanna wrapped her hand around the base of his erection and gave him a squeeze. It had been such a long time since they had been together but she remembered every inch of him and how she was positively delighted by how good he could make her feel. She wanted to make him feel just as good. Deanna ran her tongue from base to tip, swirling around the head and then back down again. Riker, unable to help it, called out.

"God, Deanna..."

Deanna answered him by taking the head of his cock into her mouth and sucking gently. She felt him tense up and took more of him into her mouth. She loved doing this to him. She was good at it and she knew how much he enjoyed it. Her fingers wrapped around the base of his shaft and she bobbed her head, licking and sucking in turn while she massaged him with her hand. His arousal and the sensations he was feeling shot through her and struck hard. She felt her arousal grow with him in her mouth. 

"Deanna..." his voice warning her that he was getting close.

With a last swirl of her tongue, Troi kissed the head of his cock and slid into his arms. He kissed her, soft gentle kisses that made her smile. 

"That was amazing, Dee," he said breathlessly.

"Then why did you want me to me stop?"

"I don't think I would have lasted much longer. I want to make love to you."

Deanna smiled wickedly at him and shifted until he was back between her legs. His erection pressed at her center and he nudged her gently. When she wrapped her legs around his back he just about lost it. He pushed and was soon buried deep inside her. His head rested in the crook of her neck and remained still for a moment as their mutual pleasure entwined. The sensation was incredible and he wondered how he had gone so long without it. He had almost forgotten how intense their lovemaking had been. He was determined to never have to forget again.

Riker rocked his hips forward pushing deeper into her before pulling out almost completely, then sinking back into her again. Deanna cried out, her lovely neck exposed as she tipped her head back and thrust her hips us to meet his. He wanted to make her make that noise again. He repeated his movements, pulling almost all the way out and then plunging back as deep as he could go. Troi gasped and half sobbed as she dug her nails into the flesh of his shoulders. 

Will gathered her close to him and thrust into her. He was lost to the feelings they were sharing, unable to take it slow any longer. At this moment all of the pent-up desire and love he had been forced to push down for all these years came to the surface in the form of pure lust. Her voice in his head, every sensation she was feeling mixing with his own - it was too much. He lost himself inside her and she only fueled the fire with the way she was moving against him and moaning into his ear.

*I'm so close, Imzadi* Deanna thought intensely. Their lovemaking had always been amazing but after all this time every sensation was electric, their bond stronger than it had ever been.

Deanna pulled him deep inside her with her hands planted firmly on his ass and her world exploded around her. Riker growled and came inside her a moment later. She was sure she was never going to stop tingling. 

After a few long moments they moved so that Riker's head was resting on her breast as they lounged on her bed. They wrapped their arms around each other and caught their breath.

"Imzadi," Will whispered against her breast.

"Yes?"

Riker moved over her and looked at her, taking in every feature and kissing her forehead and cheeks. "I love you, Deanna. Please don't push me away again."

Deanna shook her head, reaching up to touch his face. "No, Will. I feel like we've already lost so much time," she said sadly, and pulled him down for another kiss.  
***************

Lwaxana Troi was delighted to find that she had a communique from her daughter waiting for her when she returned from the most recent soiree. It had been a marvelous time, anyone who was anyone was there, but rubbing elbows with the highest of society on Betazed could be tiring. She kicked off her heels, stretched out on her couch and pressed a button on the control panel beside her.

"One new message from Deanna Troi."

"Yes, yes, well, play it!" Lwaxana huffed impatiently. She had always disliked dealing with technology and often found it a general nuisance. 

Her lovely daughter's face appeared on the screen on the wall across the room. "Ah, Little One," she smiled to herself.

"Hello, Mother. I'm sorry it's been so long since I've been in touch. I hope all is well at home. Everything is going well here, and...I have some good news."

Lwaxana perked up and sat up straight when Will Riker moved into view next to her daughter and put his arm around her.

"Mrs. Troi," the commander said looking very serious, "I've asked Deanna to marry me and we want your blessing."

"Mother, we're happy. Please say yes. I love you."

"Mrs. Troi," Riker smiled, pulling Deanna closer to him, "We look forward to hearing from you."

The screen went black and Lwaxana jumped to her feet. 

"Mr. Holm!" she hollered, "Mr. Holm, get me in touch with Sh'lar Morrel! I have a wedding to plan and she's the best caterer this side of the planet!"  
**************

Riker and Troi sat in Ten Forward together near the windows, chatting about their upcoming nuptials. Lwaxana had gotten back to them in no time, delighted at the news, giving them her blessing, and informing them that the whole wedding was going to be taken care of, right down to the last flower petal, all they needed to do was get themselves to Betazed and give her their guest list.

"A traditional Betazoid wedding," Riker chuckled, "The captain has been threatened with this before."

Deanna laughed. "It's really happening this time, Will. There's no getting out of it for him."

Riker smiled. The senior staff had been invited to the eventual ceremony on Deanna's home planet, but they were also planning on having a ceremony and reception on the ship. They wanted the Captain to marry them in a ceremony that was closer to what Will was used to, not that he hadn't been to a traditional Betazoid wedding before. That was, of course, where he had first laid eyes on Deanna Troi all those years ago.

Will reached over and took Troi's hand, lifting it to his lips and kissing her fingers. "You're going to be my wife, Dee. I can hardly believe it."

Troi felt tears well up in her eyes at the emotions radiating off of Will Riker. She sniffled and brushed the moisture away with her free hand and smiled at her Beloved.

"It was only a matter of time, Imzadi," she said softly, "I don't think I ever truly stopped loving you."

Riker leaned over and kissed her gently. "We did a good job at pretending though, didn't we?"

Deanna nodded and they looked out of the window at the stars. 

 

End.


End file.
